Hi. I'm learning the very basics of DNA replication and evolution. I'm not very knowledgeable with chemistry either. I apologize, but for me to understand, it will take a little dumbing down. I've tried dictionaries and I'm only learning bits and pieces because it's so technical. Here are several questions I have:

What causes two strands of DNA to split?

Suppose A and T are connected. What is the bond that holds them together?

I think it might be a Hydrogen bond but what exactly is a Hydrogen bond?

Is a Hydrogen bond a variant of an ionic or covalent bond?

What is a peptide bond?

Is it necessary to memorize the Periodic Table of Elements in order to learn?

What is a protein? I seem to understand the basic structure of DNA and the names but I can't understand what protein is. I know it's a macromolecule comprised of amino acids that makes up muscle tissue and finger nails. I just have little bits and pieces but I don't know what it really is.

Well, a combination of wikipedia.org and our tutorials should be fairly easy to understand for a high-school student. Also, if you have one, try checking your textbook.
If you still have difficulties in a particular point, don't hesitate to put the question up here.

"As a biologist, I firmly believe that when you're dead, you're dead. Except for what you live behind in history. That's the only afterlife" - J. Craig Venter

evointrigued wrote:Hi. I'm learning the very basics of DNA replication and evolution. I'm not very knowledgeable with chemistry either. I apologize, but for me to understand, it will take a little dumbing down. I've tried dictionaries and I'm only learning bits and pieces because it's so technical. Here are several questions I have:

What causes two strands of DNA to split?

Suppose A and T are connected. What is the bond that holds them together?

I think it might be a Hydrogen bond but what exactly is a Hydrogen bond?

Is a Hydrogen bond a variant of an ionic or covalent bond?

What is a peptide bond?

Is it necessary to memorize the Periodic Table of Elements in order to learn?

What is a protein? I seem to understand the basic structure of DNA and the names but I can't understand what protein is. I know it's a macromolecule comprised of amino acids that makes up muscle tissue and finger nails. I just have little bits and pieces but I don't know what it really is.

What's the difference between m-RNA and RNA?

Thanks for any help.

1. Helicase enzyme is what separates/ unwind the DNA strands.
2. when A....T attach together they are held by an oxygen bond.
3. hydrogen bonds is the weakest bond that can and will break so easily.
4. peptide bond is a covalent bond that connect two amino acids together.
5. No it is not necessary to memorize the whole periodic table, but it would be very helpful if you know them out of the top of your head instead of spending hours looking for anything.
6. protein is basically everything. you wouldn't be alive without it.
7. RNA is a polymer of nucleotides. mRNA -takes the message from DNA in the nucleus to the ribosome in the cytoplasm.

2. AT-bonding is done by using hydrogen bonds, not oxygen bonds. because AT contains 2 H-bonds and CG 3 the AT concentration determines the melting point of the DNA.

a H-bond is caused when the electron of the H-atom is unequally divided over 2 atoms. Usually, H-bonds exist with N,O or F present as these are highly electronegative and 'absorbs' the electron of H to themselves. so a H-bond is similar with a polar bond.

a protein is not like the structure of DNA!!! DNA encodes proteins that have many different functions in the cell.